CITY OF WORCESTER
CITY CLERK DEPARTMENT
JOURNAL
OF THE CITY COUNCIL
– JANUARY 28, 2003
7:00 P.M.
Convened: 7:11 P.M.
Adjourned: 10:55 P.M.
1. INVOCATION – Rev. Dr. Jeffrey R. Newhall
Greendale People’s Church
2. PLEDGE
OF ALLEGIANCE/STAR SPANGLED BANNER
3.
ROLL
CALL – All present except Councillors
Gomez, Irish and Lukes. Councillor
Gomez arrived at 7:15 P.M., Councillor Lukes at 7:17 P.M. and Councillor Irish
at 8:30 P.M.
HEARING & ORDER – 7:00
P.M.
4 – Councillor Haller recused on a roll
call 7-0 (Gomez, Irish & Lukes absent)
Hearing held
4. MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC CO. for a conduit location on: FLAGG ST. (Attachments)
4a ORDER ADOPTED
4a. Granting permission to MASSACHUSETTS ELECTRIC CO. for a conduit location on: FLAGG ST.
5 – On a roll call vote of 7-0 (Gomez,
Irish, Lukes absent) Council voted reconsideration
Chairman’s Order recommitted to Traffic & Parking Committee
5. In accordance with Rule 41 of the Rules of the City Council, Councillor Paul P. Clancy, Jr. requesting reconsideration of the vote of the City Council taken on January 21, 2003 relating to Item 61 of the City Council Calendar to post “No Parking 20 ft. from Corner” sign on Dorchester St. near the intersection of Dorchester St. and Vernon St. (Attachments)
6 – Placed on file – Taken up with Item 3A of the City Manager’s Calendar
6. Request City Manager to report on the status of airport operations in light of the fact that US Air has terminated its three daily flights, also including MassPort’s plans for the future operation of the airport. (Lukes) (Attachments)
7. ITEMS
OF CITIZEN INTEREST
7a. ITEMS
OF DEPARTMENTAL OR EMPLOYEE INTEREST
7b. Councillor Konstantina B. Lukes request private street
maintenance on Denmark St. Referred to Public Works Committee – Suspension
of Rules (Attachments)
8 & 9 REFERRED TO TRAFFIC & PARKING
COMMITTEE
8. Jean
Cruz request handicap parking across from 58 Houghton St. (Attachments)
9. Alfred & Winifred Gendron request removal of sign
poles in front of 25 Delawanda Dr.
Handicap parking signs were removed but not
poles. (Attachments)
9a. Councillor Philip Palmieri request installation of “Blind
Person” sign at corner of McKinley Rd. and Lincoln St. Referred
to Traffic & Parking Committee – Suspension of Rules (Attachments)
10 REFERRED TO THE
CITY MANAGER
10. Frank & Angela Caputo request building and resulting debris
which is on City property at 1 Torkelson Rd. be removed in the interest of
public safety. (Attachments)
11 REFERRED TO RULES
& REGULATIONS COMMITTEE
11. Frank Caputo et al request City Council appoint an ad hoc
committee to review current standards used by the Traffic & Parking
Committee when approving new handicap parking spaces in residential areas and
to establish written definitive standards by which such issuance should occur.
(Attachments)
11a. Request City Manager to provide City Council with a report on the
airport summit. Motion-Perotto @ #3A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11b. Request City Manager to report on the following relative to the
Worcester Regional Airport: What have
been the fuel sales at the Worcester Regional Airport over the past five years,
what are the number of planes based or housed at the airport, flights in the
past five years, what kind of facilities are at the airport for housing private
airplanes and how many planes can be housed, is there a waiting list for housing
planes, are more T hangers needed, what is the cost of housing airplanes at the
Worcester Regional Airport compared to other airports, can there be cargo at
the airport. Motion-Lukes @ #3A CM – Adopted
(Attachments)
11c. Request City Manager to provide City Council before the March
summit on the Worcester Regional Airport with a report on the ability of the
Congressmen and the City’s delegation to discuss with the FAA or appropriate
authorities the possibility of negotiating the obligation that the City has
with respect to the airport. Motion-Abraham @ #3A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11d. Request City Manager to report on the following relative to the
Worcester Regional Airport: On a short term basis to control costs can the
hanger be mothballed for one year, can the airport terminal be closed to reduce
the cost of operations, what is the status of the federal safety officers that
were recently hired, who has the authority to make decisions relative to the
airport, what are the requirements for maintaining runways and parking areas,
what are the sources of revenue for the airport, is there a financial statement
for the airport as an Enterprise Account.
Motion-Patton @ #3A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11e. Request City Manager to provide a report on the assessed value
trend over the last three years for all CIGNA properties. Motion-Patton
@ #4D CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11f. Request Administration to provide City Council with a chart for
commercial properties with percentage breakdowns as far as increases from 0% to
40% or higher. Motion-Clancy @ #4E CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11g. Request City Manager to report on the status of the historic tax
credits for Union Station. Motion-Irish @ #8F CM – Adopted
11h. Request City Manager provide City Council with a recommendation as
to how the construction of a new Fire Station adjacent to the site of the
Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse fire could be included in the City’s
capital budget plan. Motion-Murray @ #13A CM
Councillor Clancy moved to amend:
Further, request a report as to how the City
achieves funding from the Block Grant and how much monies would be available for said borrowing.
11i. Request City Manager to consider putting a blue ribbon commission
together to see whether construction of a Fire Station adjacent to the site of
the Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire could be funded privately. Motion-Palmieri
@ #13A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11j. Request City Manager to notify City Council whenever an inquiry
is received from any regulatory authority.
Motion-Irish @ #18A CM –
Adopted (Attachments)
11k. Request City Solicitor to report on the legality of the City
Council being given notice in writing of any inquiries from the Inspector
General’s Office. Motion-Lukes @ #18A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11L. Request City Manager report as to how many inquiries have been
made by the Inspector General’s Office in the past year. Motion-Palmieri
@ #18A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11m. Request City Manager to report how many tax title properties were
transferred to the jurisdiction of Neighborhood Services during the past
year. Motion-Palmieri @ #18A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11n. Request City Manager to review the tax title disposition policy
and make any recommendations regarding how to make properties more accessible
to more groups. Motion-Clancy @ #18A CM – Adopted (Attachments)
11o. Request Administration to look into an abandoned van at the corner
of Bellevue St. and Pleasant St. Murray, Haller – Suspension of Rules –
Adopted (Attachments)
11p. Request Administration to look into abandoned cars on Barclay
St. Murray, Clancy – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
11q. Request Administration to locate the Rogers-Kennedy Memorial
statue indoors in a public place such as Union Station, the Convention Center
or a public school. Further, if there
is any damage which prevents the display of the statue, the City Manager
communicate with the Art Museum or other institutions which could provide
services to repair the statue. Lukes – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
11r. Request Administration to look into two abandoned vehicles at the
corner of Harlem and Sterling Sts. Clancy – Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
11s. Request Administration to report on the number of complaints
received in the last three months regarding recycling pickups. Clancy
– Suspension of Rules – Adopted (Attachments)
THOMAS R. HOOVER
CITY MANAGER
CITY COUNCIL CALENDAR
FOR JANUARY 28, 2003
1. NON-CITY
COUNCIL CONFIRMATION:
A. Notification of Constable Appointments –
Matthew Atanian, Arthur Ball, Kitrick Kelly. (Attachments)
Placed on file
2. CITY
COUNCIL CONFIRMATION:
3. AIRPORT:
A.
SUPPLEMENTAL – Communication relative to
Worcester Municipal Airport. (Attachments)
Placed on file
4. ASSESSORS:
A. Communication relative to Property Petitioned to be Taken Of the Tax Rolls. (Attachments)
Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
B. Communication relative to MAI Designation Awarded from the Appraisal Institute. (Attachments)
Placed on file
C. Communication relative to Distribution of Property Evaluation Books. (Attachments)
Placed on file
D. Communication relative to Assessed Value
of the Common Outlet. (Attachments)
Referred to Commerce & Development Committee
E. Communication relative to Breakdown of Percentage
Increases. (Attachments)
Placed on file
5. BUDGET
OFFICE:
A. Communication relative to a meeting held
with members of the City and School Department’s bargaining units. (Attachments)
Placed on file
B. Communication relative to Newspaper
Reports concerning Reserve Accounts. (Attachments)
Placed on file
C. SUPPLEMENTAL
– Communication relative to framework for a Local and State Fiscal Recovery. (Attachments)
Referred to Finance
6. CODE
ENFORCEMENT:
A. Communication relative to Comprehensive
Zoning Ordinance. (Attachments)
Referred to Land Use Committee
7.
COMMUNICATIONS:
8. ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT:
A. Communication relative to Delinquency
Status of Microloans. (Attachments)
Councillor Gomez recused on a roll call 10-0
Referred to Commerce & Development Committee
B. Communication relative to Grant
Applications Submitted for the Facade Program. (Attachments)
Councillor Gomez recused on a roll call 10-0
Referred to Commerce & Development Committee
C. Communication relative to whether
Borrowers in the Microloan Program are required to give a personal guarantee
when receiving a loan. (Attachments)
Councillor Gomez recused on a roll call 10-0
Referred to Commerce & Development Committee
D. Communication relative to Urban River
Visions Program. (Attachments)
Referred to Land Use Committee
E. Communication relative to RFPs for the
Sale of the School Department’s Maintenance Facility and for the Acquisition of
a Replacement Facility. (Attachments)
Referred to Education & College/University Relations
Committee
F. Communication relative to Union Station
Update. (Attachments)
Referred to Commerce & Development
Committee
9. ELDER
AFFAIRS:
10. ELECTION
COMMISSION:
11. EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT:
12. EMPLOYMENT
& TRAINING:
13. FIRE:
A. Communication relative to the feasibility of
placing a new fire station on Franklin Street adjacent to the site of the
Worcester Cold Storage and Warehouse tragedy. (Attachments)
Councillor Perotto recused on a roll call
10-0
Referred to Public Safety Committee
14. HUMAN
RESOURCES:
A. Communication relative to Public Safety
Officers requesting to transfer to the City of Worcester. (Attachments)
Placed on file
15. HUMAN
RIGHTS:
A. Request City Council accept with gratitude
the opportunity for Shirley Wright, Human Rights Director, to participate in a
3-day Diversity Training Session from February 3-5, 2003 in Tampa, Florida
provided by the YMCA. (Attachments)
Order adopted with gratitude
16. LAW:
A. Communication relative to Charter
Communications Telephone Statistics through the month of December. (Attachments)
Referred to Public Service & Transportation Committee
B. Communication relative to Vocational High
School Litigation. (Attachments)
Referred to Education &
College/University Relations Committee
C. SUPPLEMENTAL
– Communication relative to the decision of U.S. District Court Judge Nancy
Gertner granting the City’s emergency motion and allowing the City to proceed
with the opening of the sub-bids on the Vocational High School project.
Referred to Education &
College/University Relations Committee
17. LICENSE
COMMISSION:
A. Communication relative to License
Commission’s Practice – Licensed Liquor Establishments – Alleged Violation of
Laws, Rules, or Regulations. (Attachments)
Tabled
B. Communication relative to the Spring 2003 License Commission
Newsletter. (Attachments)
Placed on file
18.
NEIGHNBORHOOD SERVICES:
A. Communication relative to Inspector
General Report Relative to Neighborhood Issues. (Attachments)
Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
B. Communication relative to Tax Title
Property Sales – 49 Providence Street, 93 Penn Avenue. (Attachments)
Placed on file
C. Communication relative to Executive Summary
and Resolution regarding the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of
Industrial Accidents FY 2004 Occupational Safety and Health Education and
Training Program Grant to promote safe and healthy conditions in the workplace.
(Attachments)
Resolution adopted
D. Communication relative to Proposed
Agreement between Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the Office of
Neighborhood Services which will enhance the City’s planning capacity. (Attachments)
Resolution adopted
E.
SUPPLEMENTAL – Communication relative to
the Abandoned Vehicle Program. (Attachments)
Placed on file
19. PARKS, RECREATION
& CEMETERY:
20. POLICE:
A. Communication relative to Installation of
Speeding Surveillance Equipment on Dana Avenue and Plantation Street. (Attachments)
Placed on file
21. PUBLIC
HEALTH:
A. Communication relative to Water Testing
Services. (Attachments)
Referred to Health Committee
22. PUBLIC
LIBRARY:
23. PUBLIC
SCHOOLS:
24. PUBLIC
WORKS:
A. Communication relative to Progress
Report/Construction. (Attachments)
Referred to Public Works Committee
B. Communication relative to Status of the
Construction of the Indiana Street/Brightwood Avenue Relief Sewer. (Attachments)
Referred to Public Works Committee
C. Communication relative to Previous Reports
on Use of Greenwood Street Landfill for Disposal of Street Sweepings and Catch
Basin Cleanings. (Attachments)
Referred to Commerce & Development
Committee
25.
PURCHASING:
26. TECHNICAL
SERVICES:
27. TREASURY:
A. Request adoption of an order relative to
the Transferring of Property at 19 Everard Street and 90 Bellevue Street. (Attachments)
Order adopted
28. VETERANS
SERVICES:
29. FINANCE:
A. Request that Ten Thousand Dollars
($10,000.00) from Local Law Enforcement Block Grant Round VI (FY01) program
income and interest be appropriated for use as follows:
ACCOUNT |
DESCRIPTION |
AMOUNT |
|
18S223 |
LLEBG VI Program Income |
$6,000.00 |
|
18S223 |
LLEBG VI Interest |
$4,000.00 |
The purpose of this funding is
to tow abandoned vehicles from public and private properties. (Attachments)
Order adopted on a roll call 11-0
B. Recommend that Seventy Five Thousand
Dollars ($75,000.00) be transferred from the following accounts:
ACCOUNT |
DESCRIPTION |
AMOUNT |
|
14S42427 |
Edward St. Day Care |
$23,190.00 |
|
14S42324 |
E. D Loan Pool |
45,115.00 |
|
14S42325 |
E. D Loan Pool |
6,695.00 |
|
|
Total |
$75.000.00 |
and appropriated to the following accounts:
ACCOUNT |
DESCRIPTION |
AMOUNT |
|
14S43827 |
S. Worc. Industrial Park |
$23,190.00 |
|
14S43824 |
S. Worc. Industrial Park |
45,115.00 |
|
14S43825 |
S. Worc. Industrial Park |
6,695.00 |
|
|
Total |
$75,000.00 |
This appropriation will be used to engage the services of a professional engineering group to provide engineering and environmental expertise and services to the Executive Office of Economic Development as it moves forward with the planning for the development of the South Worcester Industrial Park. (Attachments)
Order adopted on a roll call 11-0
30.
MISCELLANEOUS:
A. Communication from City Departments which have curtailed hours in the recent past at their facilities. (Attachments)
Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
B. Communication relative to Grant Revenues and Grant Coordinator Position/Staff Assistant for Operations. (Attachments)
Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
C. Communication relative to Second Quarter Fiscal Year 2003 Goals and Objectives. (Attachments)
Referred to Municipal Operations Committee
13. RECESS
TO FINANCE AND ORDINANCE: No Action Taken
FINANCE
a)
#7CC
January 14, 2003
Communication of the City
Manager relative to Preliminary Budget Analysis for Fiscal 2004. (Attachments)
14 REFERRED TO PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE
14. REPORT OF THE PLANNING BOARD Upon the Petition of Michael Ursoleo et al requesting to make public Clarissa St. (Attachments)
14a – SUSPENSION OF
RULES – REPORT ACCEPTED & VOTED TO ADVERTISE PROPOSED ORDINANCE ON A ROLL
CALL 9-2 (GOMEZ, LUKES)
14a. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON FEES AND CHARGES Upon the Communication
of David J. Rushford, City Clerk requesting that the City Council consider
adopting an amendment to the Revised Ordinances of 1996 establishing a late fee
against owners or keepers of dogs who fail to license their dogs before June 1st
annually: recommend passage of the
accompanying proposed Ordinance.
15. Communication of the City Manager relative to CIGNA – Letter –
Worcester Common Outlets. (Tabled December 17, 2002)
16. Motion Lukes as amended by Abraham – Request Administration to
contact CIGNA relative to the feasibility of linking up Front St. with
Washington Sq. and Shrewsbury St. and explore financial incentives that might
facilitate that. (Tabled December 17, 2002) (Attachments)
17. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON TRAFFIC AND PARKING Upon the Petition
of Dolores Skonieczny et al requesting 24 hour parking on odd numbered side of
King Philip Rd. from Leeds St. to West Boylston St.: recommend passage of
the accompanying proposed Ordinance. (Tabled
January 14, 2003) (Attachments)
JANUARY 28, 2003 HEALTH COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:00
P.M.
Presentation by the Health Foundation of Central
Mass.
JANUARY 28, 2003 FEES & CHARGES
COUNCIL CHAMBER
6:45
P.M.
JANUARY 29, 2003 HOUSING & COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:00
P.M. NEIGHBORHOOD
Re: Housing Study REVITALIZATION
Presentation by Administration & RKG
FEBRUARY 10, 2003 MUNICIPAL
COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:30
P.M. OPERATIONS
FEBRUARY 10, 2003 PUBLIC WORKS
COUNCIL CHAMBER
7:00
P.M.
FEBRUARY 12, 2003 HOUSING & COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:00
P.M. NEIGHBORHOOD
Re: Housing Study REVITALIZATION
Discussion with DHCD & Area Elected Representatives
FEBRUARY 26, 2003 HOUSING & COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:00
P.M. NEIGHBORHOOD
Re: Housing Study REVITALIZATION
Public
Hearing: Question & Answer Session
FEBRUARY 26, 2003 TRAFFIC & COUNCIL CHAMBER
7:00
P.M. PARKING
MARCH 19, 2003 HOUSING & COUNCIL CHAMBER
5:00
P.M. NEIGHBORHOOD
Re: Housing Study REVITALIZATION
Administrative Recommendations/Revised Document